Overview & Reviews

Toyota is a Japanese brand whose refined, well-designed vehicles have earned it a great deal of popularity. Toyotas also have a superb record for reliability and durability, which goes a long way toward justifying their typically high purchase prices. For buyers who plan on owning their new vehicles for a long time, the Toyota marque is a very compelling choice.

The automaker's name is a variation of the surname of its founder, Kiichiro Toyoda. After years of research, Toyoda unveiled his first prototype, the A1, in 1935, marking the birth of the Toyota Motor Corporation. The '40s witnessed the launch of additional passenger cars and even a pickup. By the end of the decade, the automaker had produced more than 100,000 vehicles.

Toyota grew bigger in the '50s and expanded its roster with a slew of new small cars. The company also unveiled the utilitarian BJ truck; this vehicle was the precursor to the Land Cruiser. By the end of the decade, Toyota had commenced exports to the U.S. with the establishment of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., Inc. The first Toyota to be sold on American shores was the Crown; it held the distinction of being the first Japanese car to be sold Stateside.

The '60s witnessed even more growth for the emerging juggernaut. Toyota introduced the Corolla, an immensely popular model that is still in production today. Vehicles like the home-market Publica, the 2000GT, Hiace and Miniace were also launched. The decade closed with Toyota reporting annual domestic sales of 1 million units; cumulative exports also reached 1 million.

Japanese-market cars like the Carina, Light Ace and Publica Starlet were launched during the 1970s. In the States, the Corolla grew in popularity and the Corona and Mk II models debuted as well. The successful Celica sports coupe was also rolled out and would remain in production for more than 30 years. Toyota's shadow had spread far beyond Japan by this point. The decade's oil crisis had made the manufacturer's compact, fuel-efficient models more popular than ever in the United States. By the time the '70s drew to a close, the automaker had exported more than 10 million vehicles.

Toyota expanded its presence in the U.S. market during the '80s, with the introduction of popular models like the 4Runner SUV and the MR2 sports car. The true high point of these years, though, was the birth of the Toyota Camry sedan. Originally known as the Celica Camry in Japan, the car went on to be a hit of phenomenal proportions, earning kudos as America's best-selling car of the year time and time again.

During the '90s, Toyota rolled out the Avalon full-size sedan and expanded its selection of SUVs with the compact RAV4. By the end of the decade, more than 100 million Toyota vehicles had been produced in Japan. The company also proved itself on the cutting edge of new technology with the rollout of the Prius, the world's first mass-produced hybrid. The car debuted in Japan in 1997; by 2001, the fuel-sipping sedan had made its way to American highways. Despite the presence of a growing number of competitors in its segment, the Prius continues to boast class-leading sales.

Toyota's current lineup is relatively extensive, including minivans, cars, trucks and SUVs. The brand remains extremely popular among savvy consumers who place a high value on quality and dependability.

User Reviews:

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  I LOVE MY CELICA!!!! - 2000 Toyota Celica
  By Lilly425 - March 19 - 10:00 am

  I have had my car for 3 years now and I absolutely adore it. It hasnt been in the shop for repairs once. I am a fairly petite person so it suits me perfectly. All the buttons and controls are within arms reach and it feels like being wrapped in an airplane cockpit. I can zip around town and go around corners with ease. The stock stereo doesnt sound half bad, either. My only complaint, like everyone else, is that the interior scratches easily, especially where the seatbelt hits the door. Youd think they would have done something about that. All in all its a great car and I would definitely buy another Toyota.

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  Bryans XR - 2003 Toyota Matrix
  By Bryan D Potyk - March 19 - 10:00 am

  Mileage has been awesome. With AC about 32 MPG around town. Without I can do about 34-35 MPG. I drive the speed limit period. Great car I can fit 400 + pound of electric bass equipment in the car. Great all around car for comuting and the occasional short trip to the coast.

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  Love My Highlander - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By Carol Mc - March 19 - 10:00 am

  I really like Toyotas - having previously owned 2 Avalons. But I like the ease of in/out of a vehicle and visability of a van. But NOT a van person. It rides great, gas mileage is very good and has ROOM.

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  2003 2wd Highlander LTD - 2003 Toyota Highlander
  By dsb - March 19 - 10:00 am

  This is my 15th toyota, and definitely my favorite..It is so comfortable, handles well, and has plenty of comfort features..Also drove Honda Pilot and Nissan Pathfinder..No comparison!!

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  first impressions - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By vt2nv - March 19 - 10:00 am

  I was initially impressed with the styling of the 03. Kind of european, not nearly as pedestrian as our 00. We wanted a manual, we ended up with an automatic. The car was driven up over the Sierra Nevada mountain range as part of our test drive. The car handled beautifully on hairpin turns, and had more than enough power to climb the miles long road. The climb was done with overdrive defeated. With O/D off the car never doenshifted, there was plenty of power. The car does not feel underpowered. Fit and finish of the car is very good. There is more room due to the new styling, very welcome indeed. The car is very, very solid.

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  camry - 2003 Toyota Camry
  By Dan Topolskov - March 19 - 10:00 am

  lol

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  Toyota is Cool - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By 760Li - March 19 - 10:00 am

  The Toyota Sienna is the best minivan ever. It is very roomy and has new designs. Its olny competition is the 2004 Quest by NIssan, very silmilar.

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  Nice little Truck - 2016 Toyota Tacoma
  By Tim - March 19 - 9:28 am

  Ive never owned a Tacoma before and I honestly never liked them in the past but I like my 2016! I got a great deal when I bought it, 6k under MSRP as it was a dealer demo with 1500 miles on it. The transmission does shift more frequently than Id like but after 300 miles of me driving it, it improved a lot. The complaints about the vibrations in the trucks has not been an issue in mine and it doesnt do it. It runs down the highway well, hauls my trailer, dirt bikes, kids, and seems to be fairly capable in the dirt, so I cant complain. To everyone who is complaining about the transmission, pretty much all, new/first model years after a revamp have bugs to work out. The computer does in fact "learn" your driving habits and adjusts accordingly; or you could just buy a standard. Ive been averaging 21 mpg out of the truck in mixed driving which is just slightly better than EPA estimates and I expect it to improve as it has been climbing steadily the more I drive it. I sold my Ford today and my other car is for sale too so I must like the Tacoma! I live in the Colorado mountains and I think it will be a great truck for many years to come!

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  Cream of the Crop - 2007 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
  By groovology - March 18 - 9:30 pm

  After owning what was supposed to be the pinnacle German brand and having nothing but problems during my ownership experience, I decided to give Toyota a try. The Highlander itself is not very interesting to me, but the hybrid really caught my imagination. I drove it and was immediately impressed with the combination of comfort, power, roominess, and economy. A year later, all I can say is that Toyota has actually exceeded all my expectations. The car has been 100% reliable, and both my wife and I truly love it. Its rare that you have a car that is comfortable, fast, easy to drive, and helps you do your part for the environment. Its great, plain and simple.

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  I like my new Highlander 2008 - 2008 Toyota Highlander
  By Joseph J - March 18 - 9:30 pm

  I got this on 20th Aug 2007 and I like it. I enjoyed the power, interior, steering controls and audio system with subwoofer. I have one problem, my GPS system doesnÂ’t work if I fix it right in the center of the front windshield, but works well if I fix it on the right or left ends of windshield. Dont know why!!